Rail-chair.



A. G. LIEBMANN.

RAIL CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY s, 1913.

Patented 111.26, 1915.

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STATES PATNT @FFTQJE.

AUGUST G. LIEIBMANN, 0F BUT-TIE, IVlONTANA, ASSIGNOR TO VIG-NOLES RAIL CHAIR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COBPORATIUN OF DELAWARE.

RAIL-CHAIR.

Application filed July 8, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST G. L'LEBMANN, citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silverbow and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway track appliance and particularly to rail chairs for supporting and holding railway rails in rigid position upon the ties. At the present time throughout almost all of the United States railways, rails are held to ties by means of spikes, and this without regard to the particular exigencies of any particular region. On roads in mountainous countries the strain on the rails is very great, not only because of grades but because of the curvature of the track necessary to climb the grades. Further than this the strain 011 the rails is very great because long stretches of track are of such steep grade as to require that the brakes must be constantly applied to keep the train under control in order to stop the train within the range of vision in descending any grades. Year by year the tonnage of trains has increased so that trains of thirty-five hundred to forty-five hundred tons are handled on these mountain roads with a train line pressure of approximately ninety pounds in the brake cylinders. In the winter the train line often freezes up 1 with the result that braking power is cut ofi from the train, resulting in railway wrecks.

A train running down grade at a high speed requires a particularly substantial track as otherwise the strain imposed upon the rails on curves would tend to spread the rails and, in the case of rails which are spiked to the ties, tend to dislodge the spikes or loosen them so that the track has to be kept under constant supervision, and even then numerous accidents occur. The constant respiking of the track, and the constant adjustment of the rails to gage is very expensive and the upkeep on roads of this character is proportionately high.

Realizing these conditions, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a chair, the construction of which is such that the rails may be transpositioned to 0p posite sides of the track without unjointing the rails.

A further object is to provide a rail chair,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, @915.

Serial no. 777,948.

the abutments of which are provided with inclined faces constituting in effect skidways so that, when the braces are detached, a contlnuous string of jointed rails may be skidded over the other string of rails and up the inclined faces of the abutments into their respective rail seats, thus effecting a great saving in labor and eliminating wear to the cross ties.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a chair which is of such solid construction that it will afford a firm support for the rail and in which the rail is firmly braced against direct lateral thrust and against tipping or overturning thrust due to engagement with the wheel-flange.

A further object of the invention is to provide a firm support for the rail against any tipping or overturning thrust so that the rail will stand up under extraordinary strain.

A further object of the invent-ion is to provide means whereby the rail may be laterally adjusted so as to bring it to gage and whereby this lateral adjustment of the rail may be accomplished by one man and without the necessity of the services of a section gang for the purpose.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective View of a rail chair constructed in accordance with the in vention with a portion of the tie and rail thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to these drawings A designates a tie and B the rail. The tie may be of wood or any other suitable material and the rail B is illustrated of standard cross-section.

The chair comprises a bed-plate 2 having a width approximately equal to the width of the tie and of any desired length sufficient to secure a relatively great seating area on the face of the tie. The bed-plate is held upon the tie by any suitable means such as the screw-spikes 3, these spikes being of any ordinary or desired type. These spikes constitute the primary fastening of the rail.

The upper face of the bed-plate is formed at each end with upwardly projecting oppositely disposed lugs 4: having their outer ends inclined upwardly and inwardly, as indicated at 4, a pair of the lugs being disposed at each end of the base plate and spaced from each other any suitable distance. The lugs extend transversely to the direction of the rail and each lug is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 5. The slots of each pair of lugs are in alinement with each other.

Disposed upon the base of the rail and engaging beneath the head thereof are the rail-braces 6. These are angular in form and extend down from a point beneath the head of the rail to the upper face of the base-flange thereof and fit solidly between the head and base. Each rail-brace is extended laterally as at 7, this extension being cut away as at 8 to fit over the base-flange of the rail. The extensions 7 are relatively thick and have a width equal to the space between the lugs 4. Each extension 7 is transversely slotted as at 9, the slot in the extension being relatively Wide and the inner end-wall of the slot being inclined toward the axial line of the slot. Disposed through the slots 5 and each of the slots 9 is a wedge 10, this wedge having a straight outside edge and an inclined inner edge adapted to engage the inclined face of the slot 9. This wedge may also be wedgeshaped in two directions to permit of vertical adjustment. The wedge is formed with a plurality of perforations 11 for the passage of pins 12 which may be of any suitable form but are shown as cotter pins. Bolts, however, may be used.

It will be obvious now that these wedges may be driven home within the slots 5 and 9 and when so driven home they will wedge the rail braces 6 toward each other and against the rail and will resist any movement of the rail in either direction. Furthermore it will be seen that the extensions of the braces 6 fit solidly down upon the base-plate so that there is no chance of the rail to rise under ordinary practice. Attention is here called to the fact that the inclined outer faces 4: of the lugs or abutments form in effect a skidway for directing a continuous jointed line of rails to their seats when transpositioning the rails in a line of track, as, for instance, when the inner faces of the heads of the rails become worn. When it is desired to laterally shift the rail B is is only necessary to drive out or partially drive out one of the wedges and drive in the other wedge until the rail is properly adjusted. The act of driving in one of the wedges will of course wedge the rail laterally. The second wedge is then driven home and the wedges are fastened by means of pins 12. It will be obvious that a sledge hammer may be used for driving these wedges and that they will act to shift the rail. It is also obvious that it is comparatively easy to drive out the wedges along the whole length of the rail or a section of track and adjust thisother string of rails and up the inclined faces of the abutments to their respective seats, thus effecting a great saving of labor and eliminating wear to the cross ties.

The improved rail-chair is very simple, binds the rail securely to the track, buttresses the rail against both direct lateral and tippingstresses and permits the adjustment of the rail as heretofore described. If by any chance one section of the roadbed should be lifted thus placing a strain upon the fastening devices of the unlifted section the base-flanges of the rail will not shear but the strain will tend to bend the wedges rather than shear the base-flanges or the rail-braces. This form of rail-chair, as before stated, is particularly useful on mountain lines where the grades and rails are heavy and is also particularly useful on mountain bridges. It may be very cheaply made, is thoroughly effective and when once put in place requires but a minimum of attention.

The form of chair which iias been heretofore illustrated and described is particularly designed for use on bridges and trestles requiring a solid type of adjustable chair and a chair competent to hold a heavy rail with heavy high-speed traffic. Inasmuch as this chair is intended to be used in mountain districts where the heaviest cars and engines are necessary, the best possible construction of rail chair must be used consistent with a reasonable cost. In case of derailment on a bridge the chair heretofore described will hold the rail positively with little damage to either rail or chair.

What I claim is 1. A rail chair including a bed-plate having means for attachment to a cross tie and provided with spaced pairs of upwardly extending lugs defining a seat adapted to receive a rail, braces bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail and the base thereof, respectively, and provided with extensions fitting between the lugs, and fastening devices piercing the lugs and extensions of the braces.

2. A rail chair including a bed-plate having means for permanent attachment to a cross tie and provided with oppositely disposed pairs of upstanding lugs, the outer ends of which are inclined upwardly and inwardly, a rail adapted to rest on the bedplate between said pairs of lugs, and braces bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail and the base thereof, respectively, and provided with extensions fitting between the adjacent pairs of lugs, and fastening devices piercing the lugs and extensions of the rail braces.

3. A rail chair including a bed-plate having means for attachment to a tie and provided with oppositely disposed pairs of lugs, a rail adapted to rest on the bed-plate between said pairs of lugs, braces bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail and having their lower faces cut away to form a seat adapted to receive the base of the rail and defining angular extensions fit ting between the adjacent pairs of lugs, and fastening devices extending transversely through the lugs and extensions of the rail braces.

4. A rail chair including a bed-plate having means for attachment to a cross tie and provided with oppositely disposed pairs of upstanding lugs, the lugs of each pair being spaced apart and having their outer ends inclined upwardly and inwardly, a rail resting on the bedplate between the pairs of 111 s a rail brace en 'a in the lower face of C 7 D b l the head of the rail on each side thereof, said rail braces having their lower faces cutaway to form a seat for the reception of the base of the rail and provided with extensions fitting between the adjacent pairs of lugs, there being transverse slots formed in the extensions of the rail braces and said lugs,

and a wedge extending through said slots.

5. A rail chair including a bedplate having means for attachment to a cross tie and provided with oppositely disposed pairs of upstanding lugs, the lugs of each pair being spaced apart and having their outer ends inclined upwardly and inwardly, a rail resting on the bed-plate between the pairs of lugs, braces bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail and base of said rail, respectively and on opposite sides thereof and provided with extensions fitting between the adjacent pairs of lugs, the lower faces of the braces being cut-away to accommo-- date the base of the rail, there being alining slots formed in the extensions, and lugs, respectively, wedges seated in said slots and provided with openings and fastening devices seated in said openings and bearing against the adjacent lugs.

6. A rail chair including a bed-plate having means for attachment to a cross tie and provided with oppositely disposed pairs of upstanding lugs, the lugs of each pair being spaced apart and having their outer ends inclined upwardly and inwardly, a rail adapted to rest on the bed-plate between the pairs of lugs, braces bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail on opposite sides thereof and against the base of the rail, respectively, said braces being provided with lateral extensions fitting between the adjacent pairs of lugs, the lower faces of the extensions being smooth and bearing directly against the upper surface of the bedplate, and fastening devices extending trans versely through the lugs and extensions.

7. A rail chair including a bed-plate having means for attachment to a cross tie and provided with oppositely disposed pairs of upstanding lugs, the lugs of each pair being spaced apart and having their outer ends inclined upwardly and inwardly, a rail adapted to rest on the bed-plate between the pairs of lugs, rail braces bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail on oppo site sides thereof and against the base of the rail, respectively, the lower faces of the braces being cut-away to accommodate the base of the rail, said braces being provided with lateral extensions fitting between the lugs of the adjacent pair and of the same height as said lugs, the lower faces of the extensions between the cut-away portions thereof and. the outer ends of the extensions being flat for direct contact with the upper surface of the bed-plate, there being transverse slots formed in the lugs and extensions, and wedges seated in said slots.

8. A rail chair including a bed-plate having means for attachment to a tie and provided with oppositely disposed pairs of upstanding lugs, the lugs of each pair being spaced apart and having their outer ends inclined upwardly and inwardly, a rail resting on the bedplate between the lugs, braces bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail on opposite sides thereof and against the base of the rail respectively, and provided with lateral extensions fitting between the lugs of the adjacent pairs and having their outer ends projecting beyond the inclined faces thereof, and wedging members extending transversely through the lugs and extensions of the rail braces.

9. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed pairs of upstanding lugs, formed integral therewith, the lugs of each pair being spaced from each other and from the adjacent longitudinal edges of the bed-plate, the upper surface of the bed-plate between the pairs of lugs being smooth and unobstructed and adapted to receive a rail, braces disposed on opposite sides of the rail and having their upper ends bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail and their lower ends bearing directly on the base lugs and extensions respectively, and wedging members seated in said slots for forcing the braces into contact with the rail.

10. The combination with a tie and rail thereon, of a bedplate having upwardly eX- tending oppositely disposed pairs of spaced lugs, primary fastening devices 'holding the bed-plate to the tie, oppositely disposed railbraces bearing against the lower face of the head of the rail and base of said rail, respectively, and extending outwardly between said pairs of lugs and fitting snugly between the same, said lugs and lateral extensions ofthe rail bracesnbeing transversely slotted, one face of the slots of each rail brace extension being inclined, wedges disposed in the slots of the lugs and rail brace extensions and locking means holding the wedges in place.

Intestimony whereof; I aflix my signature in presence of twowit-nesses.

AUGUST G. LIEBMANN. [1 s.] WVitnesses WM. Nnss H. MALONEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, ,D. C, 

